Context

The “Science in Our Lives: Photo Essay” was created for GS 4401, Science and Science Teaching in the Elementary School, during the fall 2007 semester. It was created under the advisement of Professor Judy Sink.

The Photo Essay was created for a required class at Appalachian State University and was made for the use of all age groups. Students could answer the thought-provoking questions in fifth grade, and could answer the questions as a review for the End-of-Grade Science Test.

Impact of Student Learning

The "Photo Essay" was created to allow students to experience different ways of learning about Science through Technology. Students learned about different concepts in Science through different photographs with thought-provoking questions(Science, Competency Goal 1, 3, and 4). Students could use the technology as a review for the new, End of Grade Science Test as a cumulative review for grades K-5 with topics covering astronomy, biology of plants and animals, human biology, forces of motion, and properties of earth materials.

Students were suppose to use technology resources such as Power Point to create their own Photo Essay using the title, "Science in their Lives". Students could research pictures within certain areas that they were studying or put together a collage of pictures relating to Science. Each student would work collaboratively with another partner to research a science topic and put together a collage of photographs for their topic. Students would then, present their slideshow of photographs about their Scientific Topic.

Alignment

The following NCDPI Elementary Education Standards were met by:

NCDPI Standard 1, Indicator 4 was met by having students read about the information on each screen, write their answers to the questions, listen to others' responds, and voice their own opinions. Students could create their own Power Point slideshows as a cumulative project of what they learned throughout the school year in the Science Classroom

NCDPI Standard 3, Indicator 1 was met by having a broad knowledge and understanding of a life science concepts. Students would create a Photo Essay of what they learned with a variety of topics and demonstrate how to create a power point presentation with their prior knowledge.

NCDPI Standard 3, Indicator 2 was met by having a basic knowledge and understanding of physical science concepts. Students would use their prior knowledge to create questions they have about the photographs within their Presentation.

NCDPI Standard 3, Indicator 3 was met by having a basic knowledge of earth science concepts. Students would put to use the knowledge they learned in previous years to cumulate a final project for Elementary School, grades K-5.

NCDPI Standard 7, Indicator 1 was met by implementing the lesson plan based on the pacing and alignment of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study and the LEA standards and pacing guide.

NCDPI Standard 7, Indicator 2 was met by incorporating science, language arts, technology, and art into the lesson plan. I incorporated different subject areas to meet the needs of the North Carolina Standard Course of Study for Fifth Grade.

NCDPI Standard 7, Indicator 3 was met by promoting new learning from the student's prior knowledge of science and technology. Students learned different technology enhancements they could make to their Power Points to make them more detailed and unique. Students would take the pictures themselves, and learn how to download their pictures from the Camera to the Computer. Students would also, learn how to operate a digital camera.

Standard 7, Indicator 4 was met by implementing a variety of teaching and communication skills into the instruction by allowing students to create their own dialogue with each other about the pictures they used. Students would learn through the use of models, collaboration, and by completion of their own Photo Essay.

Standard 12 was met by integrating art and technology into the curriculum by providing students an opportunity to create their own artwork. Students will create their own masterpieces in photography and learn how to operate a digital camera and take good, quality photographs.